152 Fun Facts About Tim Burton

In which California city was Tim Burton born and raised?

Burbank: Burton grew up in its suburbs feeling cut off from the people around him, the feeling behind the teenage drawing that became Edward Scissorhands.

Which comedy star plays Ed Wood's friend Bunny Breckinridge in Tim Burton's Ed Wood?

Bill Murray plays Bunny Breckinridge, one of the band of misfits the hapless director gathers around him to make his low-budget films.

Which student short film got Tim Burton noticed by Walt Disney Productions?

Stalk of the Celery Monster, a pencil-animated short from Burton's student days, caught the eye of Disney's animation studio, which offered him an apprenticeship.

At which art school did Tim Burton study before joining Disney?

CalArts: Burton studied character animation there on a Disney fellowship, then went straight to the studio as an apprentice animator.

Which of these Disney films did Tim Burton work on as a young animator?

The Fox and the Hound: Burton found he was unsuited to drawing cute, cuddly animals on demand, and moved on to concept work for The Black Cauldron.

Who plays Will Bloom, the skeptical son, in Big Fish?

Billy Crudup plays journalist Will Bloom, who tries to sort fact from tall tale in his dying father Edward's stories; Marion Cotillard plays his wife Joséphine.

In Tim Burton's 1982 short Vincent, which writer's tales is seven-year-old Vincent Malloy obsessed with?

Edgar Allan Poe: Vincent loses himself in the tales until he pictures himself a tortured mad scientist, and the short ends with him quoting 'The Raven'.

Why did Disney fire Tim Burton after his 1984 short Frankenweenie?

It was too dark and scary for kids, the studio decided, and the short got a PG rating and no wide release; in 2012 Disney released Burton's feature-length remake.

Tim Burton's early Disney Channel special Hansel and Gretel climaxes with what scene?

A kung fu fight with the witch ends Burton's Japanese-themed special, which went unseen for decades after its Disney Channel airing.

In Tim Burton's first feature, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, a fortune-teller sends Pee-wee to which landmark's basement?

The Alamo: Pee-wee hitchhikes all the way to Texas on the psychic's word, only to learn that the old mission has no basement at all.

What is stolen from Pee-wee Herman, setting off Pee-wee's Big Adventure?

His bicycle: Pee-wee refuses to sell the beloved bike to his rich neighbour Francis, and when it vanishes he sets off across the country to get it back.

Which band was Tim Burton's longtime composer fronting when hired to score Pee-wee's Big Adventure?

Oingo Boingo: Danny Elfman had never scored a studio film, and the band's guitarist, Steve Bartek, helped him orchestrate the music.

How many times must you say Betelgeuse's name to summon him in Beetlejuice?

Three: saying his name three times is the only way to summon the freelance 'bio-exorcist', and caseworker Juno warns the Maitlands against ever doing it.

Who played the goth teenager Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice?

Teenage Winona Ryder played goth daughter Lydia Deetz, the one living person who can see the ghostly Maitlands; she reunited with Burton two years later on Edward Scissorhands.

Which two actors play the recently deceased Maitlands in Beetlejuice?

Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis play Adam and Barbara Maitland, who drown when their car plunges off a bridge; neither returned for the 2024 sequel.

Which Harry Belafonte calypso recording takes over the possessed dinner-party dance in Beetlejuice?

Day-O (The Banana Boat Song): the Maitlands possess the Deetzes' dinner guests to scare them away, but the calypso routine only delights the party.

Which veteran screen tough guy plays mob boss Carl Grissom in Tim Burton's Batman (1989)?

Jack Palance plays Carl Grissom, who sends his lieutenant Jack Napier into a trap at Axis Chemicals on the night Napier becomes the Joker.

Who plays Rory, Lydia's scheming boyfriend and producer, in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?

Justin Theroux plays Rory, who uses her father's funeral to pressure Lydia into agreeing to marry him.

Who plays First Lady Marsha Dale in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!?

Glenn Close plays the First Lady, who is killed when the Martians storm the White House while her husband is rushed to safety.

Which Academy Award did Burton's 1989 Batman win?

Best Art Direction went to Anton Furst and Peter Young, who mixed clashing architectural styles to make Gotham the ugliest, bleakest city they could imagine.

Who plays district attorney Harvey Dent in Tim Burton's Batman (1989)?

Billy Dee Williams plays Harvey Dent; Burton cast him with a future Two-Face in mind, but Tommy Lee Jones took the part in Batman Forever.

Which comics figure served as a consultant on the 1989 Batman?

Bob Kane, Batman's co-creator, worked as a consultant on the film, even though he had strongly questioned the choice of its leading man.

Why did Burton cast Michael Gough as Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred?

He was a fan of his Hammer horror films, and years later Burton coaxed the actor out of retirement to work with him again.

Where did Tim Burton film the suburban scenes of Edward Scissorhands?

Tampa Bay, Florida: the crew took over a real subdivision and repainted its houses in faded pastels, stripping away their textures to make an ordinary street look surreal.

Who wrote the screenplay for Edward Scissorhands from a Burton drawing?

Caroline Thompson wrote the screenplay from Burton's drawing of a scissor-handed boy; he had sought her out after admiring her debut novel First Born.

Which horror icon played the Inventor, Edward's creator, in Edward Scissorhands?

Vincent Price played the Inventor, who dies before he can give Edward real hands; Burton had idolised him since childhood and built his 1982 short Vincent around him.

Who actually directed The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Henry Selick directed The Nightmare Before Christmas; Burton wrote the poem it grew from while working at Disney and produced the film, which is why his name sits in the title.

Who provides Jack Skellington's speaking voice in the 1993 stop-motion musical Tim Burton produced?

Chris Sarandon speaks Jack's lines, but the film's composer sings them, so the Pumpkin King has two voices.

Under which label did Disney first release The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Touchstone Pictures: Disney worried the film's Gothic tone would frighten young children, and only put its own name on the reissues that came years later.

Which frequent Burton actress voiced Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Catherine O'Hara voiced Sally, the rag doll who senses Jack's Christmas plan will end in disaster but cannot stop him; she also voiced the trick-or-treater Shock.

Which studio put Ed Wood into turnaround because Burton insisted on black-and-white?

Columbia Pictures put Ed Wood into turnaround when Burton refused to shoot in colour; Disney picked it up, and the film lost money but won two Oscars.

Martin Landau won an Oscar for playing which real person in Ed Wood?

Martin Landau won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi, the aging, morphine-addicted Dracula star whom Wood befriends and casts in his final years.

Who scored Ed Wood, the one film of Burton's early run not handled by his usual composer?

Howard Shore scored Ed Wood after Burton and Danny Elfman fell out during The Nightmare Before Christmas; the two reconciled in time for Mars Attacks! (1996).

Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! was based on what?

A series of Topps trading cards from 1962, whose gory scenes caused such an outcry that the company halted production.

Jack Nicholson plays two roles in Mars Attacks!, the President and whom?

A Las Vegas casino owner: Nicholson joked that he wanted to play every role, and Burton gave him two, President Dale and Art Land of the Galaxy Casino.

Who plays the Hessian Horseman in Sleepy Hollow?

Christopher Walken plays the Hessian Horseman, a mercenary who loses his head in battle; once the rider is headless, stunt doubles including Ray Park take over.

Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow adapts an 1820 story by which writer?

Washington Irving published 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' in 1820; Burton's film is a far bloodier retelling in which the headless rider turns out to be real.

Tim Burton's Big Fish was shot almost entirely in which US state?

Alabama: all but one week in Paris was filmed there, and Burton took on the father-and-son story soon after his own father's death.

Who plays the elderly Edward Bloom in Tim Burton's Big Fish?

Albert Finney plays the dying Edward Bloom; in the end his son carries him into the river, where he turns into the giant catfish of his own tall tales.

Which was the first stop-motion feature Burton directed himself?

Corpse Bride (2005), co-directed with Mike Johnson, was the first stop-motion feature Burton directed himself; on The Nightmare Before Christmas he had been producer and story originator, not director.

Who plays Charlie's bedridden Grandpa Joe in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

David Kelly, the hapless builder O'Reilly in Fawlty Towers, plays Grandpa Joe, who leaves his bed to join Charlie on the factory tour.

How were the Oompa-Loompas created for Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Deep Roy played each one individually, 165 Oompa-Loompas in all, dancing every part in turn until Burton called him the hardest-working man in show business.

Which actor plays Willy Wonka's disapproving dentist father in Tim Burton's 2005 film?

Christopher Lee plays Dr. Wilbur Wonka, whose ban on sweets drives young Willy to run away from home; it was one of five Burton films Lee appeared in.

Who plays Beadle Bamford, the judge's cane-wielding henchman, in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd?

Timothy Spall plays the Beadle, the bailiff who does the judge's dirty work and beats the young sailor Anthony in the street.

Which major award did the star of Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd win for playing the demon barber?

A Golden Globe went to Johnny Depp as best actor in a musical or comedy, and the film won the Globe in that category too; his own Oscar bid stopped at a nomination.

Who plays the Knave of Hearts, the Red Queen's henchman, in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland?

Crispin Glover plays Ilosovic Stayne, the Knave of Hearts, who leads the Red Queen's knights in the hunt for Alice.

In Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, what does young Victor use to bring his dog Sparky back to life?

A bolt of lightning: after a science lesson on electricity and dead frogs, Victor rigs up a laboratory in the attic and reanimates Sparky in a storm.

Tim Burton's Big Eyes (2014) tells the story of which artist?

Amy Adams plays Margaret Keane, painter of the big-eyed waifs her husband claimed as his own until a courtroom paint-off, which he refused to join, proved her the artist.

Which author wrote Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children?

Ransom Riggs had collected curious old photographs for a picture book, and an editor suggested he build a story around them; the 2011 novel that resulted became Burton's 2016 film.

Tim Burton co-produced Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter with which director?

Timur Bekmambetov directed the film; he and Burton had teamed up to buy the rights and paid for its development themselves before a studio won the bidding for it.

Who plays the ringmaster Max Medici in Tim Burton's Dumbo?

Danny DeVito plays Max Medici, the circus owner who sells Dumbo's mother after her rampage; it was his fourth Burton film, after Batman Returns, Mars Attacks! and Big Fish.

Who plays Principal Larissa Weems in Tim Burton's Netflix series Wednesday?

Gwendoline Christie plays Weems, a shapeshifter who takes a dead student's form to cover up the monster attack that killed him.

Which former Wednesday Addams plays botany teacher Marilyn Thornhill in Tim Burton's series Wednesday?

Christina Ricci, Wednesday in the 1991 and 1993 Addams Family films, returns as Thornhill, who is unmasked as the first season's villain.

Who plays Lydia's daughter Astrid in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?

Jenna Ortega, fresh from playing Wednesday for Burton, is Astrid Deetz, Lydia's skeptical teenage daughter who refuses to believe in ghosts.

Which film festival did Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice open in 2024?

Venice: the sequel opened the 81st festival out of competition in August 2024, though the studio had at one point considered sending it straight to streaming.

Whose production company Plan B co-produced Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?

Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment came aboard in 2022 to revive a sequel that had been shelved in 2019 after many rewrites.

Which museum hosted a Tim Burton retrospective of over 700 works from 2009 to 2010?

MoMA in New York filled the show with drawings, puppets and costumes from Burton's own archive, and screened his long-unseen Hansel and Gretel.

What is the title of Tim Burton's 1997 illustrated poetry book?

The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories gathers Burton's rhyming tales of misfit children; one of them, Stain Boy, later starred in his own online cartoon series.

Whom did Tim Burton marry in the late 1980s?

Lena Gieseke, an artist, and Burton had parted by 1991; his far better-known partnership, with Helena Bonham Carter, came later.

Who played Vampira in Tim Burton's Ed Wood and the silent Martian Girl in Mars Attacks!?

Lisa Marie, Burton's partner through the 1990s, played both; her Vampira agrees to appear in Ed's film only on condition that she has no lines.

Which animated TV series has a theme written by Tim Burton's regular composer?

The Simpsons: Danny Elfman has said he wrote the tune in the car on the way home from his first meeting with creator Matt Groening, and he calls it the most popular piece of his career.

Which costume designer began a decades-long run with Tim Burton on Edward Scissorhands?

Colleen Atwood met Burton through production designer Bo Welch and went on to dress Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd; one of her four Oscars came for his Alice in Wonderland.

Who plays Sandra, the elderly Edward Bloom's wife, in Tim Burton's Big Fish?

Jessica Lange plays the older Sandra, the woman a young Edward fell for at first sight at the circus; Alison Lohman plays her in the tall-tale flashbacks.

What had Tim Burton's father, Bill, been before he worked for his city's parks department?

A minor league baseball player, Bill Burton went on to organise the city's sports leagues, though Tim has said he was not close to his father.

Who plays Taffy, the President's teenage daughter, in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!?

Natalie Portman plays Taffy Dale, who is separated from her parents in the chaos when the Martians attack the White House.

Which stop-motion pioneer did Tim Burton credit with sparking his interest in the technique?

Ray Harryhausen: Burton has said the animator's work hooked him as a boy, and he later paid tribute on camera in the documentary Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan.

Who voices Victor's father, Mr. Frankenstein, in Tim Burton's Frankenweenie (2012)?

Martin Short voices Mr. Frankenstein, who pushes Victor to take up a sport; Sparky chases the ball Victor hits out of the park and is killed by a car.

Which Disney science-fiction film did Tim Burton work on as a young studio animator?

Tron (1982) was among the films Burton worked on at Disney, years he found torturous because his drawing style never fitted the studio's.

Who voices Victoria Everglot, the living fiancée, in Tim Burton's Corpse Bride?

Emily Watson voices Victoria, whose arranged match turns to love at first meeting, just before her nervous groom wrecks the wedding rehearsal.

Who plays Bill, the father of the family that takes Edward in, in Edward Scissorhands?

Alan Arkin plays Bill Boggs; he said the script left him 'a bit baffled' and that nothing made sense to him until he saw Burton's sets.

Tim Burton's Hansel and Gretel had a late-night Disney Channel airing on which holiday in 1983?

Halloween: the special went out at 10:30 that night and then vanished for decades, until a museum retrospective of Burton's work screened it in 2009.

Which actress played Victor's mother in Tim Burton's 1984 short Frankenweenie?

Shelley Duvall played Susan Frankenstein, and two years later Burton directed 'Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp' for her series Faerie Tale Theatre.

What breed of dog is Sparky in Tim Burton's Frankenweenie?

Sparky is a bull terrier in both the 1984 short and the 2012 remake; the short ends with him falling for a poodle whose fur recalls the Bride of Frankenstein.

Who chose Tim Burton to direct Pee-wee's Big Adventure after seeing Frankenweenie?

Paul Reubens, Pee-wee himself, was looking for a director; he recalled watching the first minute of the short and saying, 'Okay, this is my guy.'

Who plays Professor Donald Kessler in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!?

Pierce Brosnan plays Professor Kessler, who keeps urging talks with the Martians and ends up as a disembodied head aboard their ship.

Burton designed characters for the 1987 Family Dog episode of which Spielberg anthology?

Family Dog aired in 1987 as an animated episode of Steven Spielberg's NBC anthology Amazing Stories, with Burton's character designs; a spin-off series ran one season on CBS in 1993.

Which future Incredibles director wrote and directed the Family Dog episode Burton worked on?

Brad Bird wrote and directed the 1987 episode and voiced the dog himself; it grew out of a demo reel he made soon after leaving Disney's animation department.

Which Academy Award did Beetlejuice win?

Best Makeup went to Ve Neill, Steve La Porte and Robert Short for Beetlejuice's ghouls; Burton wanted the film's effects to feel like those of the B movies he grew up with.

The 1989 Beetlejuice cartoon flipped the film by making the ghost what to Lydia?

Her best friend: the friendlier Beetlejuice proved a hit, and in 1991 the cartoon ran on two networks at once, weekdays on Fox and Saturday mornings on ABC.

Which Broadway theatre, home to Cats for nearly 18 years, did the Beetlejuice musical open at in April 2019?

Winter Garden Theatre audiences saw Beetlejuice from April 25, 2019 until the pandemic shutdown; the show then reopened at the Marquis in 2022 and came back again at the Palace in 2025.

Who originated Beetlejuice in the stage musical's 2018 tryout and on Broadway?

Alex Brightman played Beetlejuice in the 2018 Washington tryout and on Broadway, earning his second Tony nomination after School of Rock, then returned to the role when the show reopened in 2022.

Which two producers did Burton repeatedly clash with while making Batman?

Producers Jon Peters and Peter Guber, then Hollywood's hottest producing duo, clashed with Burton over rewrites and tone throughout the Pinewood shoot.

Which actor has said Burton first wanted him as the Joker until the studio vetoed the idea?

Brad Dourif has said Burton spotted him on a plane and wanted him for the Joker, but Warner Bros. refused and the part went to Jack Nicholson.

Which graphic novel did Burton call the first comic he ever loved and a key influence on his 1989 film?

Burton called Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke (1988) the first comic he ever loved, saying he never knew which panel to read next in other comics.

Who wrote the songs for the 1989 Batman?

The producers had wanted Prince for the Joker's music and Michael Jackson for the romance songs.

Which actress stepped in as Vicki Vale in the 1989 Batman after Sean Young was injured?

Kim Basinger joined the cast at very short notice after Sean Young was hurt in a horse-riding accident shortly before filming began.

Who plays Peg Boggs, the Avon lady who brings Edward home in Edward Scissorhands?

Dianne Wiest plays Peg Boggs, the Avon saleswoman who finds Edward alone in the hilltop mansion and brings him home to her pastel suburb.

Which TV series made Johnny Depp a teen idol before Burton cast him as Edward?

21 Jump Street made Depp a teen idol, a label he was trying to shed when he took the near-silent role of Edward.

What did Burton demand before agreeing to direct Batman Returns?

Greater creative control was Burton's condition; he swapped the first film's writer for Daniel Waters, and the darker result led Warner Bros. to hire Joel Schumacher for the third film.

The Batman Returns tycoon Max Shreck is named after the star of which silent horror classic?

Nosferatu's star Max Schreck lent his name to Max Shreck, a villain writer Daniel Waters invented for the film in place of the comics' Harvey Dent.

Which band did Burton ask to write a song for the Batman Returns soundtrack?

Siouxsie and the Banshees wrote 'Face to Face' with the film's composer at Burton's request; he called Siouxsie one of the very few women who can create a realistic primal cat sound.

During which holiday is Batman Returns set?

The Christmas season frames the plot: at Gotham's tree-lighting ceremony the Penguin has the city's beauty queen killed and pins the murder on Batman.

Which fast-food chain was criticised for tying children's meal toys to the dark Batman Returns?

McDonald's drew complaints from parents over its Batman Returns toy promotion; the backlash and weak merchandise sales led Warner Bros. to continue the series without Burton.

What did Disney want Jack Skellington to have that the final design lacked?

Eyes are how an audience usually connects with an animated character, and Disney pressed for a friendly pair in Jack's empty sockets, but the filmmakers would not budge.

Which Disneyland ride is redecorated each autumn with characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas?

The Haunted Mansion becomes Haunted Mansion Holiday each year, with Jack Skellington arriving as 'Sandy Claws' to fill the ride with his own idea of Christmas; the overlay began in 2001.

Which 1996 Roald Dahl adaptation did Burton produce as a mix of live action and stop-motion?

James and the Giant Peach (1996) combined live action with stop-motion; Randy Newman's score earned an Oscar nomination, yet the film took less at the box office than it cost.

Which comedian starred in Cabin Boy, the 1994 film Burton produced but handed to Adam Resnick?

Chris Elliott, whom Burton had admired on the sitcom Get a Life, starred in Cabin Boy; Burton handed directing to Adam Resnick when Ed Wood's schedule took priority.

Who plays Dolores Fuller, Ed Wood's girlfriend and leading lady, in Ed Wood?

Sarah Jessica Parker plays Dolores Fuller, who is furious when Wood hands her lead role to a newcomer he takes for an heiress; the real Fuller later wrote songs recorded by Elvis Presley.

Which infamous film's 1957 premiere closes Ed Wood?

Plan 9 from Outer Space premieres in the final scene, where Ed tells himself this is the one he'll be remembered for; the Medved brothers' Golden Turkey Awards later named it the worst film ever made.

Which actor replaced Michael Keaton as Batman in Batman Forever?

Val Kilmer took over after Keaton, unhappy with the new direction and the script, turned down a reported $15 million to return; Burton stayed on only as a producer.

Which blockbuster, released five months earlier, did Mars Attacks! inadvertently spoof?

Independence Day reached cinemas five months before Mars Attacks!; Burton called the likeness a coincidence and said his film ended up feeling like a Mad magazine version of it.

In the original tale Ichabod Crane is a schoolteacher; what is his job in Burton's Sleepy Hollow?

Detective work brings Burton's Ichabod Crane to the village: he is a New York City police constable sent upstate to investigate a string of beheadings.

Who plays Lady Van Tassel, the villain of Burton's Sleepy Hollow?

Miranda Richardson plays Lady Van Tassel, Katrina's stepmother, revealed to be controlling the Headless Horseman with his stolen skull to seize the Van Garrett fortune.

Sleepy Hollow is set in upstate New York, but in which country did Burton build its village?

England hosted the shoot: the producers went looking for a perfect little town, found none and built the whole village on an estate at Hambleden, with most other filming at Leavesden Studios.

Who starred as the astronaut lead in Burton's 2001 version of Planet of the Apes?

Mark Wahlberg signed on after a five-minute meeting with Burton, without asking to see a script, and gave up a part in Ocean's Eleven to play astronaut Leo Davidson.

In the twist ending of Planet of the Apes (2001), the Lincoln Memorial now honours whom?

General Thade, the chimpanzee villain, stands where Lincoln should when Leo reaches Washington; the twist echoes Pierre Boulle's novel, whose hero flies home to an Earth run by apes.

Which makeup artist designed the apes for Burton's 2001 Planet of the Apes?

Rick Baker designed the prosthetic apes; before filming, the actors wearing them spent a month and a half at an 'ape school' learning to move like chimpanzees and gorillas.

Who wrote the novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions?

Daniel Wallace's 1998 novel was snapped up early: screenwriter John August read the manuscript six months before publication and talked a studio into buying the film rights.

Who plays the young Edward Bloom in Big Fish?

Ewan McGregor plays the young Edward Bloom of the tall-tale flashbacks, courting Alison Lohman's Sandra and befriending Matthew McGrory's giant Karl.

Which two roles does Helena Bonham Carter play in Big Fish?

Helena Bonham Carter plays both Jenny, the girl who grows up in Spectre, and the one-eyed Witch whose glass eye shows how people will die; it was her second Burton film after Planet of the Apes.

Who plays Charlie Bucket in Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Freddie Highmore was reportedly put forward by the film's Willy Wonka, who had been impressed by the boy when they made Finding Neverland together.

Which characters do Depp and Bonham Carter voice in Corpse Bride?

Johnny Depp voices nervous groom Victor Van Dort and Helena Bonham Carter the Corpse Bride, Emily; the film was made simultaneously with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

For which American indie rock band did Tim Burton direct his first music video, 'Bones', in 2006?

The Killers' 'Bones', from the album Sam's Town, was Burton's music-video debut and surrounds the band with CGI skeletons; he directed a second video for them, 'Here with Me', in 2012.

Which awards body named Burton Best Director for Sweeney Todd?

The National Board of Review named Burton its Best Director of 2007, yet the Academy has never nominated him for directing: his two Oscar nominations are for animated features.

Who plays Judge Turpin, the corrupt judge at the centre of Sweeney Todd's revenge?

Alan Rickman plays Judge Turpin, who had the barber wrongly convicted and exiled in order to steal his wife, then took the couple's daughter Johanna as his ward.

Which animator's Oscar-nominated 2005 short did Burton help expand into the feature 9?

Shane Acker, who trained as an architect, made 9 as a student project at UCLA's Animation Workshop; Burton saw the short and signed on to produce a feature-length version.

Who plays the 19-year-old Alice in Burton's 2010 Alice in Wonderland?

Mia Wasikowska plays Alice Kingsleigh, who flees a marriage proposal down the rabbit hole into Underland and ends up slaying the Jabberwocky with the Vorpal Sword.

Which comedian played both Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Alice in Wonderland?

Matt Lucas played both Tweedledee and Tweedledum, his head composited onto two CG bodies; Stephen Fry voiced the Cheshire Cat and Michael Sheen the White Rabbit.

Who directed Alice Through the Looking Glass, which Burton produced?

James Bobin, director of The Muppets (2011), took over for the 2016 sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass, which reportedly lost Disney around $70 million.

Which rock star plays himself, performing at the Collins family's ball, in Dark Shadows?

Alice Cooper sings 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' at the 1972 ball, where the 18th-century vampire Barnabas, misled by the name, calls him the ugliest woman he has ever seen.

In Dark Shadows, Barnabas Collins is cursed by which witch?

Angelique, a family servant and secret witch, curses Barnabas into a vampire after he ends their affair, then has him buried alive until workmen free him in 1972.

Which author adapted his own book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter for the screen?

Seth Grahame-Smith adapted his own 2010 mash-up novel for the screen; he also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and scripted Dark Shadows for Burton.

Who played Abraham Lincoln in the Burton-produced Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?

Benjamin Walker had just played another president, Andrew Jackson, in a Broadway rock musical; his Lincoln trains for a decade as a vampire hunter whose weapon of choice is a felling axe.

Which screenwriting duo behind Ed Wood also wrote Big Eyes?

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski meant to direct Big Eyes themselves, as announced in 2007; after years of delays Burton, who had joined as a producer, took over as director.

Who plays the husband who passes off his wife's paintings as his own in Big Eyes?

Christoph Waltz plays the huckster husband; when a judge orders both spouses to paint in court, he stalls and then claims his arm hurts too much to hold a brush.

Which singer earned a Golden Globe nomination for the title song of Burton's 2014 film Big Eyes?

Lana Del Rey's 'Big Eyes' plays as the film's heroine finds her paintings on sale in a supermarket; the song made the Academy's longlist of 79 but missed an Oscar nomination.

Which actress plays Miss Peregrine in Burton's 2016 film?

Eva Green plays Miss Alma Peregrine, an ymbryne who can turn into a peregrine falcon and hides her children in a time loop that replays one day in 1943; Asa Butterfield and Samuel L. Jackson co-starred.

Which song from the 1941 Dumbo did Arcade Fire cover for Burton's 2019 remake?

Baby Mine, the lullaby sung in 1941 as Dumbo's caged mother cradles him, returns twice: Sharon Rooney's mermaid sings it in the remake and Arcade Fire recorded a cover for its soundtrack.

Who plays Holt, the one-armed war veteran put in charge of the elephants in Burton's Dumbo?

Colin Farrell plays Holt Farrier, a part Will Smith had been in talks for until the negotiations broke off over salary and scheduling.

Who plays the White Queen in Burton's Alice in Wonderland?

Anne Hathaway plays the White Queen, whom Alice helps restore to her throne; Hathaway said she built the character as 'a punk-rock vegan pacifist'.

Who created the Netflix series Wednesday, which Burton directs and produces?

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of Smallville, sent Burton their pilot script on the off chance; to their surprise he signed on at once, saying he could relate to Wednesday.

Which actors play Wednesday's parents in the Netflix series?

Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones play Gomez and Morticia; guest stars in the first season, they were promoted to the main cast for the second.

In which city did Beetlejuice Beetlejuice begin shooting in May 2023?

London hosted the start of the shoot, with exteriors later filmed in East Corinth, Vermont, the first film's town; a sequel had been mooted since the 1990 script Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.

Who plays Wolf Jackson, the dead B-movie star turned afterlife lawman, in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?

Willem Dafoe plays Wolf Jackson, a B-movie action star who was accidentally killed by a live grenade and now works as a detective in the afterlife.

Who plays Betelgeuse's soul-sucking ex-wife Delores in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?

Monica Bellucci plays Delores, the soul-collecting ex-wife who poisoned Betelgeuse on their honeymoon during the Black Death and now hunts him through the afterlife.

Which 1958 sci-fi film was Burton reported in 2024 to be remaking with writer Gillian Flynn?

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman was announced in February 2024 as a Burton remake for Warner Bros., scripted by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn; HBO had already remade it in 1993 with Daryl Hannah.

Which actor was signed to play Superman in Burton's unmade Superman Lives?

Nicolas Cage was signed as Superman for Superman Lives, even posing in the costume, before Warner Bros. shelved the project in 1998; Burton called it a wasted year.

What did Disney want to use for a Nightmare Before Christmas sequel until Burton talked them out of it?

Computer animation was Disney's plan for a sequel it began considering in 2001; Burton talked the studio out of it, saying he was protective of a film he felt had a purity to it.

Which Disney film was Burton attached to direct until he left the project in May 2011?

Maleficent had been announced as Burton's next film after Dark Shadows; once he left, Robert Stromberg made it his directing debut, with Angelina Jolie in the title role.

Which festival's jury did Burton preside over in 2010?

Burton presided over the Cannes jury in 2010, which awarded the Palme d'Or to Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.

Which French film festival honoured Burton with its career prize in October 2022?

The Lumière festival in Lyon gave Burton its Prix Lumière; at a press conference there he said his Disney days were done, likening himself to Dumbo stuck in a 'horrible big circus'.

Who plays Catwoman in Batman Returns?

Michelle Pfeiffer got the part when Annette Bening, cast first, withdrew because she was pregnant; she then trained for months in kickboxing and did many of her own whip stunts.

Which giant creatures lurk outside whenever the Maitlands try to leave their house in Beetlejuice?

Sandworms roam the alien desert that appears whenever the Maitlands step outside; in the finale Barbara rides one back into the house, where it swallows Betelgeuse.

Which Las Vegas venue hosted Lost Vegas: Tim Burton in 2019?

The Neon Museum set Burton's installations among its vintage casino signs from October 2019; he drew on childhood trips to Las Vegas and on Mars Attacks!, which he had filmed in the city.

Which band recorded 'Man of the Hour' for the closing credits of Big Fish?

Pearl Jam wrote it at Burton's request: singer Eddie Vedder saw an early print, finished a demo within a day, and the band recorded the song four days later.

In Mars Attacks!, whose yodelling record makes the Martians' heads explode?

Slim Whitman's 'Indian Love Call' is the secret weapon: a teenager discovers that it makes Martian heads burst, and the song is broadcast around the world to end the invasion.

Who plays Otho, the Deetzes' pretentious interior designer, in Beetlejuice?

Glenn Shadix plays Otho, the pompous designer whose séance from the Handbook nearly destroys the Maitlands; Shadix later voiced the Mayor in The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Burton's regular composer won his first Emmy for the theme to which TV series?

Desperate Housewives brought Danny Elfman his first Emmy, for its main title theme, a kind of win the Oscars have never given him despite four nominations.

Which French honour did Burton receive from culture minister Frédéric Mitterrand in March 2010?

Chevalier of Arts and Letters was awarded to Burton at the same ceremony as his Big Fish actress Marion Cotillard; he called it the greatest honour he had ever been given.

Which child actor, also Bastian in The NeverEnding Story, starred in Burton's 1984 short Frankenweenie?

Barret Oliver played young Victor Frankenstein the same year as Bastian; he later left acting to become a printer and photographer working in nineteenth-century processes.

Who plays Pirelli, the rival barber Sweeney Todd humiliates in a public shaving contest?

Sacha Baron Cohen plays Adolfo Pirelli, a snake-oil salesman who recognises Todd by his razors and tries to blackmail him, and is killed for it.

A planned Burton stop-motion adaptation of which property was scrapped in 2013?

The Addams Family was to be a stop-motion feature based on Charles Addams's original drawings, announced in 2010 and cancelled in July 2013; Burton returned to the family with Netflix's Wednesday.